All about the snacks
Snacks are ESSENTIAL for most of us during busy days, whether working outside the home, running errands, or simply not having the time to sit down for meals. I acknowledge and respect the argument against snacks - from an evolutionary perspective, our bodies don’t need to constantly graze and the time between meals is important for gastric motility, recognizing hunger cues, etc. Personally, I’m happier and higher functioning with snacks. Truly can’t count the number of times I’ve been told “you are ALWAYS eating.” Since delving further into my own habits, it’s remarkable how much of my daily nutrients come from snacks when I work at the hospital. Meal prepping is a fantastic practice to set you up for success ahead of time, however, you have to have the time to heat, sit down, and eat those meals. For the times that doesn’t fit into a crazy schedule, you need high quality snacks.
Healthy snack food from the grocery store might be one of the most confusing and misleading areas to navigate. Protein bars often have countless grams of sugar and trash ingredients that don’t help you feel full but still seem to have a generally-accepted-as-healthy reputation. My advice? Watch the added sugar count in your protein bars. Find ones you like, and can afford, that you enjoy and that help you feel full. Secondly, nuts! This concept is so counter to everything we’ve been taught about avoiding excess fats and the food pyramid, but unsweetened nuts should be a part of our daily intake and in unrestricted quantities. There are great studies showing reduced calorie consumption, increased life expectancy, improved blood lipid levels, and more, all related to eating nuts regularly. Peanuts are technically a legume so they don’t check all the boxes but are still a generally healthy addition. The feeling of fullness we get from eating unsweetened nuts helps to reduce total calorie intake from other sources. Third favorite snack food is meat sticks. They’re full of protein, usually low sugar, and best of all, are incredibly convenient to eat. I love jerky, too, but most brands of jerky have a significant amount of added sugar. This snack has definitely taken time and experimentation to figure out what brands are worth the price tag and a taste that I look forward to, but there is definitely something out there for everyone (who eats meat).
If finding healthy, filling, travel-friendly snacks is something you’re struggling with, let’s talk about it! I love to help people find what works with their lifestyles without feeling labor-intensive. Having easily accessible food choices during a chaotic weeks where your best intentions have been undermined by busy surprises is such a satisfying feeling. Let’s take the stress out of your food choices together! Click below to book time in my calendar!